Lou Malnati's Pizzeria
18 min walk
from 311 S Wacker
6 min bike
via downtown streets
1454 m / 4770 ft
straight-line distance
65 places
within a 5-min walk
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria is a restaurant at 439 North Wells Street, about 1454 m (18 min walk) from 311 South Wacker Drive. It is known for pizza. It's a convenient pick for lunch near the Willis Tower or dinner after work in the Chicago Loop.
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria sits in River North. The nearest CTA 'L' stop is Merchandise Mart (Brown & Purple lines), about a 3-minute walk, and Union Station's Metra and Amtrak trains are 18 minutes away on foot — so reaching it without a car is easy.
Chicago takes pizza seriously — this is the town that invented deep-dish, and locals argue just as passionately about tavern-style thin crust cut into squares.
Map & Location
Dashed line shows the straight-line route to 311 South Wacker Drive (1454 m · ~18 min walk).
Getting to Lou Malnati's Pizzeria
From 311 South Wacker Drive
Head north — it's about 1454 m on foot (18 min at a city pace). The dashed line on the map above shows the direction.
By 'L' Train
Ride to Merchandise Mart (Brown & Purple lines); from the platform exit it's roughly a 3-minute walk. A Ventra card or contactless bank card works on all CTA trains and buses.
From Union Station (Metra / Amtrak)
Exit toward Jackson Boulevard and walk 18 minutes; taxis and rideshare pickups are on Canal Street.
From the Airports
O'Hare: CTA Blue line to the Loop (~45 min) or 30–60 min by car. Midway: CTA Orange line to the Loop (~25 min) or about 20–30 min by car.
If You're Driving
The nearest public garage in this directory is 210 N Wells Self Park, about 6 min away on foot — reserve ahead through a parking app for the best rate, or see the 311 S Wacker parking guide.
Walking Times to Chicago Landmarks
| Chicago Riverwalk | 449 m | 6 min walk |
| Chicago Theatre | 743 m | 9 min walk |
| Millennium Park (Cloud Gate) | 1211 m | 15 min walk |
| Willis Tower & Skydeck | 1287 m | 16 min walk |
| Chicago Board of Trade | 1390 m | 17 min walk |
| Union Station | 1407 m | 18 min walk |
| The Art Institute of Chicago | 1455 m | 18 min walk |
| Buckingham Fountain | 2031 m | 25 min walk |
| Navy Pier | 2085 m | 26 min walk |
Everyday Essentials Near Lou Malnati's Pizzeria
| Nearest coffee | Starbucks | 3 min walk |
| Nearest pharmacy | CVS Pharmacy | 3 min walk |
| Nearest bank branch | Chase | 3 min walk |
| Nearest public garage | 210 N Wells Self Park | 6 min walk |
| Nearest print/ship shop | The UPS Store | 3 min walk |
| Nearest dry cleaner | Shiny Cleaners | 11 min walk |
Within a 5-Minute Walk of Lou Malnati's Pizzeria
Live counts from this directory — every link is a full detail page.
- 36 hotels: Moxy Chicago Downtown, River N 1BR w gym pool lounge nr L CHI-817, River North 1br w gym pool roof nr Riverwalk CHI-816, Blueground River N gym pool nr Riverwalk CHI-128 (+32 more)
- 1 cafes: Starbucks
- 11 bars: The Library, Gilt Bar, The Baton Show Lounge, The Boss Bar (+7 more)
- 2 entertainment: Celeste, Sound Bar
- 1 health & wellness: Thread Away
- 2 banks: Chase, Chase
- 2 pharmacies: CVS Pharmacy, CVS Pharmacy
- 1 print shops: The UPS Store
- 2 corporate services: Spaces, Fort Dearborn Post Office
The Neighborhood: River North
North of the Chicago River, River North mixes gallery-district polish with big-energy nightlife. Steakhouses, rooftop bars, design showrooms and the Merchandise Mart sit within a few minutes' walk of the Magnificent Mile's shopping.
Staying Overnight? Hotels Near Lou Malnati's Pizzeria
The closest guest-rated hotels to this spot — live photos and ratings via Booking.com.
★ 10/10 · 1 reviews · 3 min walk from here
Check Rates
★ 10/10 · 1 reviews · 3 min walk from here
Check RatesMake an Outing of It
A visit to Lou Malnati's Pizzeria pairs naturally with the blocks around it. Then start with Illinois Holocaust Museum Presents Experience360 (6 min away). Then continue with The Library (2 min away). Then continue with Starbucks (3 min away). All three have full detail pages in this directory with maps and walking times.
Good to Know: Local Tips
Lunch downtown peaks sharply from noon to 1pm on weekdays — arrive before 11:45am or after 1:15pm to skip the office rush. For dinner, remember that much of the Loop quiets after 8pm outside theatre nights, while the West Loop and River North stay lively later.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Lou Malnati's Pizzeria from 311 South Wacker Drive? +
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria is about 1454 meters from 311 South Wacker Drive — roughly a 18-minute walk through downtown Chicago.
What is the nearest CTA 'L' station to Lou Malnati's Pizzeria? +
The closest 'L' stop is Merchandise Mart (Brown & Purple lines), about 206 m away — a 3-minute walk.
What else is within a short walk of Lou Malnati's Pizzeria? +
Within about five minutes on foot you'll find 8 other places to eat or grab coffee, plus more bars, shops and attractions — see the "within a 5-minute walk" section on this page.
More Restaurants Nearby
Meli Cafe
540 North Wells Street
20 min from 311 S Wacker
Freshii
350 North LaSalle Drive
16 min from 311 S Wacker
Maggiano's Little Italy
516 North Clark Street
20 min from 311 S Wacker
Frontera Grill
445 North Clark Street
19 min from 311 S Wacker
McDonald's
600 North Clark Street
22 min from 311 S Wacker
Portillo's
100 West Ontario Street
23 min from 311 S Wacker
Other Places Near Lou Malnati's Pizzeria
Thread Away
500 North Wells Street
19 min from 311 S Wacker Health & Wellness
The Library
230 West Kinzie Street
17 min from 311 S Wacker Bars
Moxy Chicago Downtown
530 North LaSalle Drive
20 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
Celeste
111 West Hubbard Street
18 min from 311 S Wacker Entertainment
Gilt Bar
230 West Kinzie Street
16 min from 311 S Wacker Bars
River N 1BR W Gym Pool Lounge Nr L CHI-817
311 W Illinois St
18 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels